Escape to Sunny Mexico - at Property!

Are unable to get away for a southern trip this 12 months? Really don't despair -- approach a sunny Mexican design refresher for your patio d�cor and delight in the festive ambiance of a hacienda at place this summer months.

As with any other decorating design, Mexican d�cor has its private general aspects.

Color

• The predominant colour in the sunny Mexican appearance is yellow -- vivid, cheery and warm. If you're fortunate adequate to be functioning with an outdoor room that abuts a stucco home exterior, think about painting the stucco yellow or gentle terracotta. Or else, style partitions for your room from a fence, a screen or a trellis painted an uplifting sunny hue.
• Accent the yellow with brilliant blue or vivid turquoise. Shades of terracotta, red, orange and shiny pink are also well known.

Furnishings

• Furniture done of large wooden seems to be most genuine in Mexican design decorating. Tiny rough-hewn side tables are appropriate. If you can not get hefty wooden furnishing, paint painless wooden folding chairs vibrant yellow and blue.
• Alternatively, use wrought iron or hammered metal furniture. The Mexican affect of these elements can be also be made use of in gate hinges or equipment these as candlesticks.

Tiles

• Mexico is justly well-known for its exquisite tiles -- possibly unfinished terracotta or all those with bold glazed designs of flowers or other objects in shades of yellow, blue and red.
• Take into account clay floor tiles to give a concrete slab patio a refreshing new glimpse. If tiling is not in your budget, get creative with paint as we did on this town balcony. http://www.paradiseporch.com/earlier than_once.php
• If you are truly serious about the Mexican appearance, tile the roof of your out of doors space with red clay tiles.
• Use brightly colored tiles on a table or a tray. Have the terracotta theme with clay plant pots.

Fabric

• Approximately woven normal fibers, this kind of a cotton tablecloths or woven rope chair seats, function most beneficial in this decorating scheme.
• Use a brightly colored wool serape as a scatter mat, throw, or "wall" hanging.
• This is the suitable setting for a rope hammock for that afternoon siesta.
• Use striped material in primary hues for cushion addresses.

Components

• Accessorize your Mexican-styled area with wrought iron candlesticks or grille give good results.
• Fish and bird motifs (like as roosters or parrots) are outstanding, primarily if built of clay or tile.
• Carry the bright shades into the plantings in your area. Nasturtiums are ideal for hanging baskets or the lattice you've installed. If you are growing zucchini or other squash, check out planting them near the patio, so that the blossoms create to your ambiance.
• If you want to get away from the yellow in your flowers, use bougainvillaea, pastel poppies or broadleaf greenery such as yucca crops.
• Heap a rope basket with apricots, guavas or pears. Alternatively, you can make oversized paper m�ch� replicas or paint wooden lawn-sale fruits.

Strive a very few of these recommendations and right before you know it, you will be sipping margueritas and crunching tortillas in your awfully own Mexican courtyard.

Writer: Debbie Rodgers

Home Building - Exterior Style Choices

The exterior style of your home is the fun part. It doesn�t require any further calculations, just simply what appeals to you. Most people prefer their home to be in harmony with the surrounding community and choose exterior styles that are appropriate to their region. To be safe, resale value should play an important part in the choice of exterior style. The five most prevalent styles in today�s market include:

Country: Nationwide this is by far the most popular style. Characteristics include a large, usually covered front porch or a wraparound porch, and a steeply pitched gabled roofline that runs lengthwise. The roofline is often punctuated by dormer windows and gabled wings, creating casual, informal living. The farmhouse style home is typically a rectangular or L-shaped home, often with two-stories. Horizontal siding is the typical material for county and farmhouse designs, although masonry or stucco is possible.

Traditional: This describes a multitude of classic designs including Colonial, Georgian, Federal, Cape Cod, Saltbox and Ranch designs each distinctly regional. Simplicity is a common characteristic of all traditional designs usually with small-paned or mullioned windows that are usually spaced symmetrically.

Victorian: This particular traditional-style home has strong historical origins with very intricate rooflines and the use of turrets, dormers, towers, bays and eyebrow windows. Ornate porches are a prevalent feature along with shingles or narrow-lap wood siding. This style is more appropriate for two-story homes, although one-story designs with Victorian features are available.

Mediterranean: Some view this style as traditional, others say it is contemporary, regardless, it�s popular in the Sunbelt states, particularly in California, the southwest and Florida. The exterior is traditionally stucco and includes tile roofs, broad overhangs, lower pitched roof lines and open-air verandas, courtyards and covered porches or lanais.

Contemporary: This broad category embodies many different styles and shapes of homes. Typically contemporary homes have bold geometric shapes, large expanses of glass, and windows that are not framed by shutters or other decorative trim, and rooflines that can be anywhere from flat to low-pitched to dramatically steep. Siding can be vertical or horizontal wood siding, stucco or masonry. There are really no rules with contemporary styles.

Other styles: although the above are the most prevalent choices there are a multitude of other styles many homeowners opt to adopt. These include Craftsman, European, Italianette, French or French Country, Tudor, etc. Also certain locations or uses can often produce a particular �style�; narrow lots, beach, mountain or vacation houses are examples.

Author: Tammy Crosby

GelTech Solutions, Creators of Fire Suppressant Gel, Introduces FireIce Home Defense Unit for Homeowners

GelTech Solutions, Inc. (OTCBB: GLTC), the creators of the revolutionary fire suppressant gel FireIce , today announced that it is introducing a solution for the homeowner facing the threat of approaching wildfires, the 'FireIce Home Defense Unit' (HDU).

During times of crisis, fire departments cannot offer protection for every homeowner in 'fire threatened areas' as resources become extremely limited. The FireIce HDU was created to give the homeowner an additional line of defense that enables them to potentially save their home and personal property from the threat of an advancing fire.

Features and Benefits:

FireIce adheres to many different types of structures: wood, brick, and stucco. FireIce adds lasting protection to your shrubs, trees and surrounding landscape. FireIce is environmentally friendly and non-toxic. FireIce is easy to clean up. No pressure cleaning or harsh chemicals are required to remove FireIce. The only thing needed is a garden hose.

Joseph Ingarra, President, stated, "It has been our goal to develop an affordable solution that would give every homeowner the opportunity to protect their home and property. The FireIce HDU is now available to be purchased by the public online at www.fireice.com . We also expect it to be available regionally as we are speaking with a number of distributors that service customers in regions west of the Rocky Mountains."

About FireIce:

FireIce® is a state-of the art water-enhancing fire suppressant and structure protectant that is currently being utilized by firefighters, first responders, and military personnel both domestically and internationally.

For more information about FireIce, please visit: http://www.fireice.com

Join our growing fan bases:

Support FireIce at: http://www.facebook.com/FireIce911

Support FireIce HDU at: http://www.facebook.com/FireIceHDU

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Contact Mike Poslaiko Corporate Communications 800-924-4874

2011 NEW Excellent NEIGHBOR AWARDS: Betting on AC - 1801 ATLANTIC AVENUE

The number one business office building to be produced in Atlantic City in more than forty years, 1801 Atlantic Avenue is destined to strengthen the resort city's company neighborhood by encouraging new commercial investment that is not dependent on the casino market and is anticipated to foster the development of a centralized enterprise district.

Owned by Arctic Realty Service, this a few-tale, $12.five-million commercial workplace establishing capabilities a fashionable and efficient pattern by the architectural firm spg3. It utilizes a brick, stucco and glass exterior, large ceilings, substantial flooring to ceiling windows, tiled restrooms and a wooden panel lobby interior, which presents a thoroughly clean and expert appear. The framework also gives sufficient reserved on-internet site parking for tenants and customers (151 spaces), has good views of the Atlantic Town skyline, is within just close proximity to The Wall Outlet Mall and the Atlantic City Convention Center, and is minutes from the Atlantic Town Expressway.

Consisting of 53,000 square ft, the making is also the to begin with LEED Certified Class A business office building in the resort town. It was developed by Vineland Building Co. and created by T.N. Ward. Now, Sun National Financial institution anchors the bottom floor of the building where it has made 15 work opportunities. The Atlantic City Publish Business office is one other tenant. Development work opportunities at the online site totaled 85.

ARCHITECT

spg3 Architects

Philadelphia

BUILDERS

T.N. Ward Agency

Atlantic Metropolis

Vineland Development Co.

Vineland

FINANCE ENTITY

Citigroup Private Lender

Limited Hills

NOMINATOR

Kenneth J. Calemmo, Jr.

Chairman

Magnificent Atlantic Metropolis Chamber of Commerce

How Your Belief Creates a Blueprint for Life

Introduction

The walls for your life blue print are strengthened with your believe in a power greater then yourself. You could liken the walls of a house to your beliefs. If you believe than your walls are strong.

Spiritual beliefs give us strength as lathe and plaster gives strength to the walls of a house. A brick or stucco house is like a strong belief in a power greater than our selves.

We trust our exterior walls to keep us warm in winter and cool in summer. It doesn't matter if your walls are cedar, stucco, brick or vinyl. Likewise, It doesn't matter what you believe as long as you believe in something.

In AA newcomers are told to come to believe in a power greater than them selves, even a door knob. In order to stay sober they must come to believe.

So in building your blueprint for life you must always believe in something to create strong walls for your house.

Whatever your religion or faith creating a strong wall of faith will serve you well.

Belief makes us strong and helps us to control how we live.

Eleanor Roosevelt, "I believe that you control your destiny, that you can be what you want to be. You can also stop and say, No, I won't do it, I won't behave this way anymore."

Webster defines believe as holding an opinion. You have opinions right? Then you have the makings of belief and faith.

Webster also defines believe as to accept something as true, genuine or real so you surely have that much belief.

You probably have a belief but haven't taken the time to define it. You may be a member of an organized religion. You can design a blue print for living no matter your religion or faith. It only requires you believe in something.

Examine:

Take a look at your own faith. What do you believe? Do you believe there is a power greater than you? If not try faking it for a week; absolutely trusting that if you fail, the Universe will keep on being the Universe.

G. K. Chesterton, "Faith Means believing the unbelievable."

Let me ask you, if you passed away tomorrow, would the world stop? If you answer no, you have faith. There is something beyond you. So that is enough faith for you to start building the walls for your blueprint for living.

Now you can put in the rebar, lathe and plaster, add insulation and get ready for wiring.

You'll add exterior stucco, brick, wood or vinyl.

Your faith provides you with the walls to protect you from the outside elements.

Consider:

Success means having the courage, the determination and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be.

Belief is a building block of conscious thought. Just as mortar and brick are the building blocks for your exterior walls.

Belief is a habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing. Do you believe the sun will rise tomorrow morning? Then you have faith.

Faith is base on the reality of some being or phenomenon based on examination of evidence.

If you didn't belief you could hit a golf ball down the fairway you wouldn't swing. Well with my golf swing, this might be a poor example.

Faith is certitude even where there is no evidence or proof.

Decide:

The relationship between belief and knowledge is subtle. People distinguish between what they know and what they believe. They consider both to be true.

Epistemology is the philosophical study of knowledge and belief. Knowledge can be thought of as justified belief. Belief is knowledge if the belief is true. And if the believer has justification for believing.

A false belief is not considered knowledge. A truth that nobody believes is not knowledge.

Beliefs are assumptions we make about ourselves, others and the world. And about how we expect things to be. How we think things really are.

Author Unknown, "Believe in your dreams and they may come true; believe in yourself and they will come true."

Summary:

What ever you believe with feeling becomes your reality.

In building your blueprint for life you must have faith. As demonstrated above, you already have faith of some sort and that's enough to start building the walls of your new life.

Walt Disney, "When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable."

Copyright (c) 2009 Wee Dilts

Author: Wee Dilts

Vibrant Murals Capture the Essence of Community

Artists help revitalize businesses by adding a splash of color and culture to The Heights

The song "Meet Me on South Street" could well have been sung about the corner of South Street and Central Avenue in Jersey City, where a fanciful mural embellishes a brick sidewall at Daisy Cleaners. Two blocks south on the corner of Central and Charles, an artist's interpretation of Central Avenue spreads across the stucco wall of .99 POWER.

The two murals, completed in October, are the second installment of an arts project dedicated to revitalizing business from the neighborhood community by showcasing local talent in public works. Produced by the Central Avenue Special Improvement District Management Corporation (CASID), a consortium of 450 member businesses, it is expected to continue over several years along Central Avenue in The Heights section of Jersey City. "We have a vibrant artist community, especially now in The Heights, and we wanted to give artists an opportunity to leave their mark on the neighborhood," says David Diaz, CASID district director. "We have some artists who were very interested in doing this project and we were able to find them wall space and they installed it."

The project was facilitated when CASID received a Local Artist Program grant from New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs. Their request for proposals (RFP) resulted in a healthy response, enabling property owners with wall space to select the artists. "Of the paintings that were done, one is reflective of Central Avenue as it is today. The other is more symbolic of the community itself," says Diaz. "It really helped re-energize the district and give people something to look at."

The locations selected have often been tarnished with graffiti, so an additional incentive for doing the project is that murals tend to deter graffiti artists. "There's an unspoken code that you don't damage someone else's murals or artwork. These mural installations are hoped to go a long way in keeping graffiti off the walls when artwork occupies the space that otherwise is troubled by graffiti," Diaz explains.

Megan Gulick, illustrative painter, incorporated landmarks of The Heights in her mural: Mosquito Park's buffalo and bear statues, Reservoir Number Three, a Mayan birdhouse and colorful fish to represent the city's diverse population. "I think about all the people on the street," she says. "One of the things with the project is how to make it accessible to people who walk by. I didn't want to do anything with ethnicity in it. Fish you can do all different ways, so I figured that's the perfect metaphor for Jersey City. I wanted their faces to show because it's more interesting to have fish or anything interacting."

Gulick did the project because she enjoys challenges - like the logistics of being 4 feet 11 inches tall and painting a 20by-25-foot mural - and because she likes meeting people. "It's a coming out party of sorts," she says. "If you are painting on a wall for a month, there's no way to deny you're a painter. There's a lot of anonymity in being a painter, so it's fun to see the reactions to things, good or bad."

Just one block away from an elementary school, her mural drew kids who stopped to watch her work. She painted fish upon request and named them after the kids, who often returned with their parents for pictures in front of the mural. They felt like they were part of the installation.

Richard Lo Revere, impressionistic/realistic painter and draftsman, creates mostly architectural renderings and old-fashioned-style drawings of street scenes. His mural depicts a stylized "mirror image" of modern day Central Avenue. "As I was painting, people were really getting a kick out of the fact that they could recognize their surroundings and how different it looked than the usual grimy way that everything looks to us in reality," he says. "Some of the owners of the stores came over and said, 'Make sure you put my sign in there.' There's a spirit of recognition and sense of place that goes with that. People were taking pictures in front of it like it was a tourist attraction."

Murals make a community more interesting than blank walls and more interesting than gang tagging, Lo Revere says. Once ordinary walls, now artists' palettes, cost little for the shopping district in the sense that there's something new and exciting on Central Avenue.

Although the artists' contracts stipulate maintaining the murals in good repair for just one year, the hope is that they will remain for a long time. The ultimate goal is to have a mural done by a different artist on every corner of Central Avenue. "We hope to do this on an annual basis, install two or three murals each year," Diaz says. "Other property owners are excited now and really eager to be part of it."

Gulick says the project is important because it instills pride in the community. Says she: "Anything that lends a sense of culture to a community is a positive thing."

Author: Jasch, Mary

Milwaukee County picks cement for O'Donnell facade

Milwaukee County is shedding the metal and glass facade for the O'Donnell Park parking garage and the additional $1.two million value of the panels.

The final decision is in preserving with new County Executive Chris Abele's veto of the panels, which the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors authorized April 21. Some supervisors, who shifted their votes Thursday to sustain Abele's veto, says they sided with him considering the fact that they wished to set a high quality tone with a new executive.

"Overriding the veto would get us off to a a lot less-than-desirable begin with the county executive," Supervisor Gerry Broderick said.

But some on the board however questioned the brief- and extensive-expression cost savings of the stucco finish on the facade, which is approximated at $one.seven million in contrast to the $two.9 million glass and metal panel exterior.

Supervisor Michael Mayo said the county by now spent involving $500,000 and $750,000 on the decorative glass and metal panels, and he explained he needed to know how the county could recover that expense.

Jack Takerian, director of the county's Department of Transportation and Public Operates, stated he had not obtained invoices from the job. He said if any invoices arrived in, he would deliver the results with makers to iron out a refund for the county.

Takerian says he planned to situation a change buy for a stucco exterior Friday with parking garage contractor, Madison-dependent KBS Development Inc., which has not commenced labor on the facade. KBS won the employment with a bid of $1.192 million for the metal panel profession.

"I assume the determination of a stucco end is a specific thing we initially looked at as a base bid," Takerian stated, "and you'll find it anything we're likely to move ahead on."

The undertaking will entail restore of minimal cracks and imperfections on the exterior of the garage and staining of the garage as soon as the present panels are taken down.

Takerian mentioned completion of the challenge was targeted for July 1.

The O'Donnell parking garage has been closed given that June 24 after a 13 one/two ton panel fell from the facade, killing 15-yr-older Greenfield resident Jared Kellner and injuring two other people.

Other supervisors who voted in favor of Abele's method still expressed problem that except the county sells or redevelops the residence in 5 ages, servicing expenses of the stucco facade will remove the first financial savings.

The metal program was projected to last 25 several years with minimal routine maintenance rates, even while the cement would involve about $150,000 to re-paint, re-coat and restore the exterior just about every 5 many years.

Broderick stated he however was skeptical the county would know the cost savings of the stucco end, but explained he opted to facet with Abele "right after 8 many years of dealing with a county executive who viewed compromise as failure."

Abele spokesperson Brandon Lorenz reported there was no assure the county would provide or redevelop the internet site, but he mentioned presented the budget crunch dealing with the county now, the board made the ideal selection.

"The total position is searching for a superior long-expression use for the site," he says. "In this present-day fiscal environment, it can be important to maintain down nonessential shelling out."

Supervisor Pat Jursik, who at first supported the metal panels, stated the arrangement bodes properly for a lot more substantial discussions that have been positive to just take position with regards to the county price range.

"To place it bluntly," she claimed, "we're not likely to be able to find the money for as well a variety of disagreements when we're facing $25 million in over-all cuts."

Author: Jack Zemlicka

CertainTeed Publishes Life Cycle Assessment Data to Illustrate Environmental Performance of Vinyl and Polymer Siding

VALLEY FORGE, Pa., May 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on a recent life cycle analysis (LCA), CertainTeed Vinyl Siding, CedarBoards(TM) Insulated Siding and Cedar Impressions Polymer Siding outperformed other exterior siding products - such as brick, stucco and other siding options - in terms of environmental and economic performance. The company is the first vinyl siding manufacturer to publish LCA data through the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Building for Economic and Environmental Sustainability (BEES) program, an online software program that allows the comparison of building products on a life cycle basis.

The LCA, which was conducted by Sustainable Solutions Corporation of Royersford, Pa., included an in-depth analysis of the products' impact on the environment throughout its entire lifespan. The analysis included an evaluation of raw material acquisition, manufacturing, transportation and distribution, installation, maintenance and end of life disposal. The LCA data was submitted to BEES for independent review and publication.

"CertainTeed siding products performed exceptionally well in the life cycle assessment, offering a new vantage point for their use as environmentally sound cladding options," says Drew Brandt, LEED AP, director of product marketing for CertainTeed's Siding Products Group. "This in-depth examination is an industry game changer and gives us a complete, accurate view of our products' true sustainability and a foundation to better understand and improve them."

In terms of overall environmental performance, CertainTeed siding products performed better than other cladding materials in the BEES system, including brick, stucco, exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS), and other siding options. Environmental performance is based on 13 impact categories, such as human health, global warming potential, air pollution, and smog.

"Over the years, we've taken significant steps to reduce our impact on the environment by minimizing water and energy use at our plants, increasing the use of recycled materials, and establishing a network of recycling centers," adds Brandt. "The LCA marks the culmination - and success - of these efforts. CertainTeed is proud of these accomplishments and wanted to make them available to our customers in a transparent, easy-to-understand format."

CertainTeed has streamlined its operations to reduce carbon emissions and reprocess all vinyl scrap, resulting in near-zero waste manufacturing facilities. The majority of the company's product lines contain recycled content, including CedarBoard's insulated siding's industry-leading 53 percent recycled content. Additionally, CertainTeed has established a network of 160 vinyl siding recycling centers throughout the United States, helping to divert siding from being landfilled at the end of its useful life.

"CertainTeed is moving in the right direction in regards to sustainability and product stewardship," says Tad Radzinski, P.E., LEED AP, founder and president of Sustainable Solutions Corporation. "They are using life cycle assessment as a tool to understand and reduce the environmental impacts of their products and are continuously looking for more ways to make their products more sustainable."

An online program designed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), BEES offers transparency and credibility into a product's performance since data is reviewed and verified by NIST. The BEES system aligns with ISO 14040, the internationally recognized standard of the International Organization for Standardization.

CertainTeed vinyl siding offers an industry-leading spectrum of profiles and colors including unique, darker shades and semitransparent stained blends for virtually unlimited design possibilities. Available in 31 colors and six classic styles, Cedar Impressions offers the most natural-looking texture of any cedar-shingle siding alternative available, without the heavy maintenance of wood. Molded from real cedar boards and backed with polystyrene insulation, CedarBoards(TM) Insulated Vinyl Siding provides a natural, rough cedar texture and the look of wide-board wood siding, while boosting a home's energy efficiency. For more information, visit www.certainteed.com.

About CertainTeed

Through the responsible development of innovative and sustainable building products, CertainTeed, headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa., has helped shape the building products industry for more than 100 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Manufacturing Company, the firm's slogan "Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed," quickly inspired the name CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed is North America's leading brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, fence, decking, railing, trim, foundations, pipe, insulation, gypsum, ceilings and access covers.

A subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, the world's largest building products company, CertainTeed and its affiliates have more than 6,000 employees and more than 65 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. Recognized as a 2009 and 2010 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, CertainTeed earned the 2011 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award, the highest level of recognition for outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through energy efficiency. The group had total sales of approximately $3 billion in 2010. www.certainteed.com.

For more information contact: Michael B. Loughery, CertainTeed (610) 341-7328 mike.b.loughery@saint-gobain.com www.certainteed.com/pressroom

SOURCE CertainTeed

Flying Horse: Upscale facilities, relaxed atmosphere

You can join a golf club or a tennis club. You can join a posh country club with a stuffy atmosphere that makes you feel intimidated. You can join a club with an excellent restaurant, or one with a great fitness center.

Or you can have it all - minus the stuffy atmosphere - at The Club at Flying Horse.

"The vision for this club was to build, first and foremost, a family club, and a family club that had resort services and amenities," says Fredo Killing, managing director of The Club at Flying Horse, located at 1880 Weiskopf Point at the north end of town.

And the list of amenities is long.

Two large buildings designed with an Old World flair -- complete with stone, stucco, grand fireplaces, cozy seating areas and high ceilings - comprise the Clubhouse and the Athletic Club and Spa.

"What we wanted to do was to build this very nice, very upscale (club), but a place that you felt welcome," Killing says. "So the interior design component was very important."

The Clubhouse is a hub for dining, golfing and socializing. Two restaurants offer the option of a casual dining experience or fine dining - The Tack Room and La Fortezza. Interestingly, they share the same menu, offering food that ranges from sandwiches to sea bass. The executive chef, Alec Schrader, is the former head chef for Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse in Denver.

"Our menu was difficult to pull off, because there's such a wide range," Killing says. "There's pizza, there's sandwiches, there's high-end items. It works; the members love it."

Golfers will enjoy easy access to the Tom Weiskopf Signature Golf Course, plus luxurious locker rooms and a golf shop. Both members and non-members can take golf lessons; the head golf professional is Glenn Wallace, who has worked in the past for the Castle Pines Golf Club.

"We even have an indoor practice facility for golf," Killing says. "You can practice all year round, and they're heated bays."

When the weather is warmer, doors can be rolled up to allow golfers to hit from the heated bay out into the range.

The Clubhouse also offers private meeting rooms, private dining areas, a ballroom, outdoor eating spaces, outstanding views and an extensive selection of wine in the four-story "wine tower." The Club hosts wine tastings and wine dinners regularly, and members can rent lockers on the bottom two floors of the tower, where their favorite wines will be stored and sold to them at normal retail prices.

The Athletic Club and Spa is in a nearby building, constructed with the same design aesthetics as the Clubhouse. There, members can work out on cardiovascular machines, hit the weight room, grab a snack at the snack bar in the winter, enjoy the grill in the summer, take an exercise class ... the list goes on.

Each machine on the cardiovascular floor has its own TV, allowing members to work out while watching whatever program they choose. The weight room equipment was carefully selected to be the best available from a variety of manufacturers, and then finished so it all matches. A muscle activation specialist can help members maximize the effectiveness of their workouts. Fitness classes include pilates, yoga, cycling, aerobics and more. Other available classes include CPR and babysitting.

"We had the concept of doing a lot of programs, because it's all about the experience," Killing says. "The experience is what the members take home."

Five bodies of water at the Athletic Club and Spa give every family member a place to splash - from the six-inch-deep pool for toddlers to the saltwater lap lanes to the play area with a slide for older kids. When parents want to work out on their own, they can drop off kids ages 5 months to 12 years at the Kids' Cabin for up to three hours a day. There, they will play games, sing songs or play outside in a special fenced play area.

Families with young children also have access to family changing rooms with showers and restrooms, so Dad doesn't have to worry about taking his 5-year-old daughter into the men's locker rooms.

The Club's spa is on the lower level, accessed via stairs in the men's and women's locker rooms or an elevator in the lobby. The spa offers a full range of services, including facials, manicures, pedicures, massages, couples massages and more.

Tennis courts are located just outside the Athletic Club and Spa, with hard courts outside, including one stadium court, and four red clay courts indoors. The head tennis professional, Richard Beard, came to Flying Horse from The Broadmoor Hotel and Resort. Numerous tennis classes are offered for members and non-members.

"We've probably got one of the largest tennis programs in Colorado Springs right now," Killing says.

The Club has worked hard to hire top-quality, friendly personnel who make the Club a fun, friendly place to work out and play.

"The people are very nice here, very welcoming," Killing says. "They're the reason the members come back, not the building."

Several membership levels are available, including a couple of trial memberships that allow people to try the place out for a while before deciding whether to join.

"People sometimes need to feel it, test it, kick the tires," Killing says.

Hopefully, those who test out The Club at Flying Horse will appreciate the club's mission: Creating a comfortable family club where people of any age can have a great time without feeling intimidated.

"It's not stuffy, it's just nice," Killing says. "People feel welcome here and they feel warm here."

For more information on memberships at The Club at Flying Horse, call membership director Wendy McHenry at 719-487-2601 or visit www.flyinghorseclub.com.

Author: Heather McDonnell

Pecora Sil-Span™: Removes the Require for Quite expensive Sealant Cutouts and Prevents Hurt to Putting together Substrate

HARLEYSVILLE, Pa., Will 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Joint sealant failures are a common event about the lifespan of a developing and can end result in significant hurt to the property. Repairing these failures can be extremely high-priced and time consuming in particular in exterior insulation and finish programs (EIFS).

Pecora's Sil-Span preformed silicone profiles provide you with an different to the regular system of repairing failed sealant joints, eradicating the costly actions of removing the existing failed sealant and the surface preparing that can often times hurt the substrate. It has a expense-efficient procedure of correcting failures in spots of the establishing envelope which are very difficult or close to hopeless to substitute or reseal this kind of as curtain-partitions, stucco, skylights, roofing facts, reglets, coping stones and flashing specifics.

"I like the flexibility of Sil-Span in solving waterproofing difficulties with EIFS and skylights, each leak-susceptible and complicated to seal working with conventional procedures," says Alan Johnson, lover of Streamline Waterproofing of Derry, NH. "The power to provide a textured customized colour for failed EIFS joints and custom made bend lines to bridge leaking mullions resolves difficulties even though preserving aesthetics."

A specifically formulated very low-modulus silicone compound, Sil-Span is extruded into preformed strips or custom styles that "bridge" above the existing joint, waterproofing the setting up envelope while keeping the first aesthetics of the substrate. This price tag-highly effective alternative can provide the advantages of:

* Lessened labor expenses and relatively easy application

* No EIFS substrate harm very common in restoration

* The fantastic start looking - Sil-Span can be custom made coloured and textured to match just about any end

"The field crew liked functioning with Sil-Span due to the fact that it was so simple and easy to set up," says Jaime Gaumnitz of Western Waterproofing in Renton, WA. "And the consultants had been thrilled due to the fact that it removed the charge of a cutout, prevented damage to the substrate and it stored out moisture."

In addition to the ease of application, Sil-Span meets ASTM C 1523, is validated by Sealant Waterproofing & Restoration Institute and will provide the properties of state-of-the-art silicone solutions.

* 200% motion capacity

* Resistant to ultraviolet rays & weathering

* Higher tear resistance

* Minimal dirt pick-up

Pecora Sil-Span is offered now from authorized distributors in the course of the United States and is a specialized method that have got to be used in conformity with manufacturer's guidelines. For alot more information, please head to http://www.pecora.com.

About Pecora:

Pecora Company is a top maker of elastomeric sealants serving the building marketplace. The organisation was founded in 1862 in Philadelphia as a paint and varnish supplier centered on delivering reliable alternatives to customers' requirements. These days, the agency manufactures a huge variety of architectural waterproofing goods and sealants in a vast array of chemistries among them silicones, urethanes, and latex acrylics.

To receive a sample of Pecora Sil-Span or to get in touch with a Pecora profits representative, send an e-mail request to Wendy Freed at freedw@pecora.com.

Communicate with:

Wendy Freed, Advertising Manager Pecora Company 165 Wambold Street Harleysville, PA 19438 215-799-7530 freedw@pecora.com

This press release was issued by means of eReleases(R). For a lot more data, take a look at eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

Resource Pecora Company

DJC TopProjects: The Matissse Apartments submitted by R&H

The Matisse Apartments had been built to stand apart from the bordering superior-rise towers in Portland's South Waterfront district. The pattern staff envisioned the project as a "meadow in a forest," hoping to accentuate the apartment's unique rental offerings in the two, six-tale, mid-rise structures.

A person setting up capabilities a stucco and wood-panel exterior veneer, even though the other putting together has a distinct shape and an exterior of composite metal panels. Dividing the 274-unit complex between two structures enables for a central courtyard and walkway, which encourages pedestrian potential customers.

The task team of R&H Development, Ankrom Moisan Affiliated Architects and Simpson Housing spent very nearly a 12 months in preconstruction to analysis the style and design, funds and constructability matters.

The end result: a LEED gold generating accomplished on time and in budget that delivers an different to the significant-rise condos lining the waterfront.

Undertaking staff Stats

Location: Portland, Oregon

Charge: $58.79 million

Initiate Date: August 2008

Completion Date: November 2010

Proprietor/Developer: Simpson Housing LP

Architect: Ankrom Moisan Related Architects Personal computer

Landscape Architect: Lango Hansen Landscape Architects Laptop

Engineers: GeoDesign Inc., KPFF Consulting Engineers, Otak, Pressler Engineering Inc.

Typical Contractor: R&H Development

Other Associates: Green Making Companies, RDH Generating Sciences Inc., SSA Acoustics LLP, Summit Creating Engineering

Author: Lindsey O'Brien

New lawsuits likely after reopening of O'Donnell Park parking garage

Lawsuits against Milwaukee and Milwaukee County loomed Tuesday as officials announced the reopening of the O'Donnell Park parking garage on Lincoln Memorial Drive.

In a small ceremony, County Executive Chris Abele declared the renovated structure safe. He lauded the work of the contractors -- Madison-based KBS Construction Inc. and RAM Construction Services of Minnesota LLC, Little Canada -- that completed $5.4 million in renovations about a year after a June 24, 2010, accident in which a 13 1/2-ton panel fell from the facade of the garage, killing 15- year-old Greenfield resident Jared Kellner and injuring two others.

"We wanted to do this right," Abele said.

But removing the 27,000-pound panels and adding a new stucco finish doesn't exempt the county or city from responsibility for the accident, said Al Foeckler, attorney for the Kellner family. Liability lawsuits against Milwaukee County and the city of Milwaukee are forthcoming this summer, said the attorney with Cannon & Dunphy SC, Brookfield.

"We will be filing a notice of claim relatively soon," Foeckler said.

The municipalities would have 120 days to either deny or take no action on the claim.

Abele declined to comment on the pending lawsuits until something is filed in court.

"I'm not aware of that yet," he said, "and we haven't heard anything."

But Jack Takerian, Milwaukee County director of public works and transportation, said the liability lies with the contractors that he said improperly installed the panels.

"I think as the attorneys get into it a little further," Takerian said, "they will find that the panels that were installed were installed differently than originally designed."

Attorneys for the Kellner family filed a lawsuit against the contractors Jan. 19. East Troy residents Amy and Eric Wosinski, who were injured in the accident, also filed suit against the contractors in January, according to court documents.

The contractors named in the lawsuits are Advance Cast Stone Co., Random Lake; J.H. Findorff and Son Inc., Madison; C.D. Smith Construction Inc., Fond du Lac; and Dietz Drafting and Design Inc., Burlington. Four unnamed insurance companies also were listed in the lawsuits.

"The answer to those lawsuits is to deny that Findorff is liable," said Don Piper, attorney for the company.

All four construction companies conducted various work on the O'Donnell Park parking garage, according to the lawsuits, which were consolidated in Milwaukee County Circuit Court.

Attorneys for C.D. Smith and Dietz Drafting declined to comment on the lawsuit. Attorneys for Advance Cast Stone did not immediately return calls.

"A lot of people have looked to the county to say it was deferred maintenance," Takerian said. "This is not deferred maintenance. This is an installation issue."

Cannon & Dunphy in October filed against the city and the county a notice of injury, which typically is a precursor to a lawsuit.

If the county and city are named, both would have liability protection under existing law that caps damages at $50,000.

But Foeckler said he was researching methods to sidestep those limitations.

"Maybe that cap applies," he said. "But we're looking at different legal theories to get around that."

Lawsuits against the county and city in a case such as the O'Donnell accident could be more a strategic move than an economic one, said Jason Abrahamson, a Milwaukee personal injury lawyer. He said he had not found a way to circumvent the municipal caps in a case unless it involved civil rights issues.

But there is value in drawing the city and county into the case because they could point fingers at the other defendants, Abraham said.

"If you have a city or county attorney saying, 'We trusted these people to do the work, and they didn't do what they told us,'" Abraham said, "it might be more believable for a jury than the plaintiffs' lawyers who are asking for money."

Abele, who was the first person to park in the renovated garage Tuesday, said the county had learned lessons about the importance of oversight during construction projects. He said he expected a higher level of due diligence on future projects.

"We want a rigorous and well done competitively bid process, which ensures that we get the best outcome for the county," he said. "I don't think that has always been the case."

Author: Jack Zemlicka

Home Building - Exterior Siding

Nothing will impact the appearance of your home more dramatically than the type of siding you choose, so it�s no surprise that homeowners are looking to dress to impress. As you look for exterior siding, look for a material that suits the style of your house, fits your lifestyle and works geographically, because you will be living with your choice of siding for a long, long time. When it comes to figuring out the cost of having your home sided - size really does matter, since it�s labor more than materials that you�re paying for.

Here is a look at some of the most popular and affordable materials for exterior siding:

Solid Wood

The first choice for most homeowners is wood, because it stands unmatched for beauty and durability. Wood is available in boards, shingles or shakes. These products are typically made from red or white cedar but they are also available in pine, spruce, redwood, cypress and Douglas fir. The benefits to going with wood is it offers some insulation value, is easy to repair and install, and is available pre-stained, primed or unfinished in many styles. Some products even come with fire-retarding treatments. The drawback to solid wood siding is that it must be painted or stained, which will add several thousand dollars to the cost of the job and to maintenance expenses in the future. For example, wood shingles cost between $3 and $4 per square foot before staining or painting.

Cedar Shingles

Homes sided in cedar shingles (also called "shakes") are made of natural cedar and are usually stained in shades of brown, gray, or other earthen colors. Shakes are very popular on traditional, ranch, historical and vacation homes that want to blend in with its natural or rustic surroundings.

Engineered or Composite Wood

If solid wood is too much of a strain on your pocketbook you might want to consider engineered or composite wood products like plywood, oriented strand board (OSB) and hardboard ($1.50 to $2.70 per square foot), but even the best of these products won�t give you the look of real wood. Of the group, plywood (often sold in a reverse board-and-batten design) is the least expensive, easiest to install and has the longest track record. It works best on contemporary-styled homes. OSB and hardboard products are sold as 4 x 8 sheets or are molded to look like clapboard. They are available preprimed or prefinished in a wide variety of colors, which keeps the cost down.

Fiber Cement

If you want the appearance of wood, stucco or masonry, but can�t afford it, fiber cement siding offers a strong and attractive alternative. This durable, natural-looking material is best known by the brand names HardiPlank� and HardiPanel�. A real selling point is the fact that it�s fireproof, resistant to rot, fungus and termites (a great perk if you live in an area that is hot and humid), and may have a warranty of up to 50 years.

The installed costs of fiber-cement are reported to be less than traditional masonry or synthetic stucco, equal to or less than hardboard siding, and more than vinyl siding. As always, size matters when it comes to your exterior.

Stucco

You can�t get any more sturdy than stucco. Simply put, you�re covering your home with a layer or rock. Cement stucco is made up of a small quantity of lime, Portland cement, and water. This fine grained concrete is attached to your house using waterproof barrier paper, galvanized wire mesh, and metal flashings (handy devices that channel water to the exterior wall). While the strength of stucco remains unchallenged among sidings (it has a track record of say over a thousand years), it does have it drawbacks because of its rigid makeup. If the wood framing beneath it shrinks or if the house foundation moves, the cement stucco could crack. To avoid this happening to your new home, be sure the contractor frames your house with wood sheathing and allows the lumber to dry for about 60 days before installing the stucco. If you hire a talented plasterer, you have unlimited surface texture possibilities. If you want to add color to your stucco be sure to spend the extra money on a m!

asonry penetrating stain, because other paints may peel after time. Traditional stucco has a low material cost, but is expensive to install ($12 to $16 per square foot).

Aluminum and Metal Siding

Aluminum and steel siding, may be considered a step up from vinyl in durability, but it�s plagued with its own limitations. Like vinyl, metal siding comes in limited colors, is a worse insulator than vinyl, dents easily and is very difficult to repair. So if you live in an area where you get a lot of hail or your house is surrounded by acorn trees, you might want to reconsider using metal.

Vinyl

Thanks to new technology in the vinyl industry, the common stereotype of a �plastic� home has all but faded. New product offerings wood-like textures, shingles and shakes, deeper colors and more trim options are making vinyl a popular alternative to its high priced rivals. Vinyl is made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which makes it immune to rotting and flaking, but even the best vinyl siding will crack, split and look dingy after awhile. The fact that it requires low maintenance - it can be washed with a garden hose - and that it is cheap - $1.50 to $2 per square foot, makes it very appealing. Not so appealing is the fact that it has limited color choices, provides virtually no insulation, is not easy to repair, can fade over time and doesn�t stand up well against Mother Nature.

EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Stucco)

Synthetic stucco, also called EIFS (exterior insulated finish system) consist of a a polymer-and-cement mixture, which is applied in two coats over rigid foam insulation and a fiberglass mesh. You might want to double think using this product, because since it came on the scene two decades or so ago it has been unable to successfully keep the water out. Water gets behind many EIFS systems and can�t get out. What that means for you, is that your home will likely suffer some serious structural wood rot. Synthetic manufacturers are working on rectifying this problem by using special water management systems which collect the water and divert it back to the exterior of the home before it suffers water damage. Being a new homeowner, this may be one worry you�ll want skip. Synthetic stucco materials cost more than the real thing, but because it�s easier to apply it costs less.

The biggest trends in exteriors are vibrant colors and a wood look

Interior design has always been the big �in� when building a home, but now homeowners are starting to look outside. Let�s face it - first impressions go a long way, so your exterior home should really stand out. People are looking for something different and unique, but at the same time want low maintenance - in walks vinyl. Vinyl manufacturers are hard at work to meet the demands of homeowners who want a higher quality and more stylish vinyl siding. The big change to vinyl is that it�s coming out bright and colorful, now that it�s adding acrylics into its mix. Most color palettes for vinyl used to be very similar and pale, but now homeowners can find deep rich colors like forest green and barn red.

Another new look by vinyl is dressing up as cedar shingles. These cedar shingles come very close to looking like the real cedar. The real beauty to these shingles is that they won�t split, rot, flake, peel or chip like the real thing. Over the last several years, almost every vinyl manufacturer has come out with some sort of replica cedar product.

With everyone trying to simulate wood products, it would only make sense that someone would market a real wood siding product. That�s what Georgia-Pacific, who makes vinyl and fiber cement, has done with its Catawba hardboard siding. Catawba is 100 percent hard wood made out of pulp-grade wood chips pressed and bonded at very high temperatures. This process makes the wood very weather resistant. If you use two coats of paint you won�t have to paint it again for 10 years - double the time of traditional wood products.

Author: Tammy Crosby

Brick and Stone Masonry: Still Stand Strong

The choices that you make when designing and building a new home or purchasing an existing home affect your value throughout the time of ownership. No time is the highest value more important than when selling. Each decision you make will affect value and play a role in what the house is ultimately worth in a re-sale. Make your choices carefully. Do your research. Talk to realtors about what is in demand in your area. A good example of a value choice is the use of brick and stone masonry for your exterior. In American architecture, nothing evokes feelings solidity and permanence like masonry.

Have you ever read through the classified home listings, or seen a realtor�s flyer and read the words, �four sides brick?� There is a reason that real estate professionals market a home this way. It is a signal of quality to a potential buyer. While stucco and siding are both attractive options for cladding the exterior of your home, brick and stone masonry will increase the value. Upon arrival at a perspective new home, a buyer will usually begin assessing it from the minute that they turn into the driveway.

Stucco

When applied properly hard coat stucco can be an effective exterior cladding while also providing flexible design. When purchasing an existing stucco home, a buyer should have two thoughts in mind.

1. Is this house a hard coat stucco or EIFS? (a synthetic stucco system)

2. Will an inspector need to be hired to examine the condition of the exterior and locate any moisture behind the walls?

Already there are roadblocks in the buyers mind about purchasing the home. Both questions would need to be answered. You need to know what type of stucco it is, and a specialized, professional inspector is always a good idea no matter the type. A professional stucco inspector can determine where there are problems and check for moisture behind the material, while suggesting the extent of damage and remedies in a thorough report.

Siding

Siding tends to have fewer stigmas than stucco. While it does not have the solidness of brick, when installed correctly, it does an excellent job of protecting the interior of the home from moisture. Houses clad with siding seem to have a certain charm and appeal to Americans as it is used from coast to coast. With a siding home, again, it is a good idea to have a thorough inspection to uncover any moisture that has found a path into the interior. A proper inspection will reveal if the siding was installed correctly. Make sure your inspector examines the following areas of a siding clad home where there may be problems.

1. The seams at door and window openings

2. Around vents, such as a dryer vent, and pipes that must pass through to the interior

3. Any area where siding might meets the ground

4. The connection of a siding clad chimney to the house structure

5. Areas where landscaping touches the home

Also, it is a good idea to determine the type of siding... There are several types in use today: wood, cement fiber board and vinyl. Wood siding is beautiful, but will ultimately require maintenance due to exposure to the elements. You will eventually need to replace boards, nails and frequently paint to keep it in the best condition. Cement fiber board is an excellent choice. It is very durable, emulates the look of wood, but will stand the test of time. The advantage of vinyl siding is the ease of maintenance. When properly installed, vinyl siding will only require cleansing from season to season with a mild solution and water to keep it looking new.

Brick and Stone Masonry

Brick and stone masonry has stood the test of time in our culture. While wood sided homes have come and gone over the decades, we know that homes in the Northeastern United States built at our country�s inception are still standing today. Brick and stone products inspire a feeling of solidity and permanence. There are very few problems associated with brick or stone. They protect the interior of your home like a fortress, withstand the elements and bring great resale value as it passes confidence along from one owner to the next.

When you have a masonry home inspected, make sure note is taken of any cracks that have appeared in the mortar, which might be the result of settling or another stress on the wall. Check the system of weep holes which are used to drain moisture from behind the walls. Make sure these holes are not obstructed. Additionally, check ground level areas where weep holes could actually perform the reverse function and take moisture in during flooding rains.

Fortunately brick and stone masonry, for the most part, are maintenance free, durable, and a value addition to any home. Today there are many choices in masonry and a visit to a local brick and stone company will make selecting a color and style a breeze. Many have small mock ups of what a wall would look like in each product that they sell. One of the most fun ways to select your new brick or stone is to take a drive around neighborhoods you like and focus on brick colors and the shapes and variation in the stonework. This way you would better be able to envision what the exterior of your finished home might look like.

Whatever the material you choose for the exterior of your home, installation is the key component. Take the time to ensure all proper procedures are followed for the specific material. When buying an existing home, hire an inspector! No question you might have about the exterior cladding of a home is a bad one. You are protecting a very large investment.

Author: Dalton C. Reynolds

SOMA Live-Job Loft Developing Recovers $1.4 Million for Faulty Construction

SAN FRANCISCO, May very well 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A 20-unit stay-function loft and condominium generating, found at 655 5th Street at Townsend, recovered $one,410,000 these days for claims connected to shoddy workmanship and development defects within 18 months from the filing of their declare. The settlement was funded by the insurance policy suppliers for the builder, normal contractor and subcontractors.

Saddled with abnormal stucco EIFS cracks and h2o penetration, roof and window leaks, deck failures, and plumbing problems, the board at this association was ready to recover for damages that amounted to around $70,000 for each unit. These models were marketed as element of a growth that was sold in 2000 by a single asset LLC, the asset remaining this condo project.

In accordance to the association's attorney, Thomas E. Miller, whose firm has recovered about $620 million for building defect claims, "Far more builders at the moment are setting up their developments as Limited Liability Provider (LLC's), folding the organisation when the venture is accomplished. Oftentimes, place and condominium owners will not realise that insurance policy does exist to cover construction defects even when the builder disappears, declares bankruptcy, or just walks away."

Wayne Wilson, President of the 655 fifth Street Home owners Association, says, "We are rather happy with this settlement. It supplies us with enough to fix the concerns, and reinforce our homeowners' investments in this making. Our householders were stunned to find out concealed defects just after being lulled by representations of the live-operate loft way of life and superior constructing elements."

Subsequent the employing of Thomas E. Miller of The Miller Law Firm, of San Francisco, the situation was resolved in report time, significantly less than 18 months from the filing of the complaint in San Francisco Superior Court.

Superior Court Reference www.sftc.org, circumstance selection CGC-09-493337

The Miller Law Firm has offices in San Francisco, Newport Beach and Los Angeles.

Source The Miller Law Firm